The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene Therapy

The HIV-1 virus (human immunodeficiency virus) affects 36.9 million people worldwide, with approximately 900000 deaths in 2017. The virus carrier can develop severe immunodeficiency since CD4+ T lymphocytes are the main target, leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Despite advances i...

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Main Authors: Gabriela De Nardi Sanches-da-Silva, Luiza Fonseca Sales Medeiros, Fabio Mitsuo Lima
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:International Journal of Genomics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8458263
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author Gabriela De Nardi Sanches-da-Silva
Luiza Fonseca Sales Medeiros
Fabio Mitsuo Lima
author_facet Gabriela De Nardi Sanches-da-Silva
Luiza Fonseca Sales Medeiros
Fabio Mitsuo Lima
author_sort Gabriela De Nardi Sanches-da-Silva
collection DOAJ
description The HIV-1 virus (human immunodeficiency virus) affects 36.9 million people worldwide, with approximately 900000 deaths in 2017. The virus carrier can develop severe immunodeficiency since CD4+ T lymphocytes are the main target, leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Despite advances in pharmacological treatment, it is still difficult to eliminate latent reservoirs, becoming one of the main obstacles for viral eradication. The CRISPR- (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-) Cas system is a genome-editing method which uses a guide RNA, a complementary sequence to the interested site, recruiting a nuclease that can break the viral or the host cell genetic material. From this double-stranded break, cellular repair mechanisms are activated being able to generate deletions, insertions, or substitutions, in order to inactivate specific gene loci, leading to loss of function. The objective of this minireview is to synthesize the current knowledge on the application of CRISPR-Cas-based gene therapy for HIV-1. The strategies encompass all steps of the viral infection cycle, from inhibition of cell invasion, through viral replication and integration inhibition, to excision of the latent provirus. Off-target effects and ethical implications were also discussed to evaluate the safety of the approach and viability of its application in humans, respectively. Although preclinical and clinical tests are still needed, the recent results establish an exciting possibility of applying this technology for prophylaxis and treatment of HIV-1.
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spelling doaj-art-49ef7390b17f46ec80c037b248ba4bc22025-02-03T06:00:29ZengWileyInternational Journal of Genomics2314-436X2314-43782019-01-01201910.1155/2019/84582638458263The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene TherapyGabriela De Nardi Sanches-da-Silva0Luiza Fonseca Sales Medeiros1Fabio Mitsuo Lima2Centro Universitário São Camilo, Avenida Nazaré, 1501, São Paulo, SP, CEP 04263-200, BrazilCentro Universitário São Camilo, Avenida Nazaré, 1501, São Paulo, SP, CEP 04263-200, BrazilCentro Universitário São Camilo, Avenida Nazaré, 1501, São Paulo, SP, CEP 04263-200, BrazilThe HIV-1 virus (human immunodeficiency virus) affects 36.9 million people worldwide, with approximately 900000 deaths in 2017. The virus carrier can develop severe immunodeficiency since CD4+ T lymphocytes are the main target, leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Despite advances in pharmacological treatment, it is still difficult to eliminate latent reservoirs, becoming one of the main obstacles for viral eradication. The CRISPR- (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-) Cas system is a genome-editing method which uses a guide RNA, a complementary sequence to the interested site, recruiting a nuclease that can break the viral or the host cell genetic material. From this double-stranded break, cellular repair mechanisms are activated being able to generate deletions, insertions, or substitutions, in order to inactivate specific gene loci, leading to loss of function. The objective of this minireview is to synthesize the current knowledge on the application of CRISPR-Cas-based gene therapy for HIV-1. The strategies encompass all steps of the viral infection cycle, from inhibition of cell invasion, through viral replication and integration inhibition, to excision of the latent provirus. Off-target effects and ethical implications were also discussed to evaluate the safety of the approach and viability of its application in humans, respectively. Although preclinical and clinical tests are still needed, the recent results establish an exciting possibility of applying this technology for prophylaxis and treatment of HIV-1.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8458263
spellingShingle Gabriela De Nardi Sanches-da-Silva
Luiza Fonseca Sales Medeiros
Fabio Mitsuo Lima
The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene Therapy
International Journal of Genomics
title The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene Therapy
title_full The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene Therapy
title_fullStr The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene Therapy
title_full_unstemmed The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene Therapy
title_short The Potential Use of the CRISPR-Cas System for HIV-1 Gene Therapy
title_sort potential use of the crispr cas system for hiv 1 gene therapy
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8458263
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